


Where the Heart Is

by black_hat_with_bells



Category: The Vampire Diaries, True Blood
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-04-16
Updated: 2011-04-16
Packaged: 2017-10-18 03:51:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/184664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/black_hat_with_bells/pseuds/black_hat_with_bells
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Caroline Forbes leaves Mystic Falls and meets another baby vamp.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Where the Heart Is

**Author's Note:**

  * For [superkappa](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=superkappa).



> pairing prompted by superkappa. I hope all the canon checks out!

Their meeting was accidental.

Well, if anything was truly accidental.

Caroline was a big fan of astrology back in the day of her life. She read up on her sign, Virgo, a long time ago when it seemed important to understand and categorize everything and everyone. But then life wasn’t that simple, and people refused to be put into boxes.

There was a defiance of her understanding, here. If she did something nice for someone, for example, she expected kindness in return. If she was honest, she expected it in return. She had stepped back from that idea. It was too heavy along with being a vampire.

Besides, in the new world, where vampires were coming out on television, just a few years after the moonstone-soapdish-disaster, Caroline had no interest in being forced to come out to her classmates. She wasn’t ashamed, or anything, she just didn’t think it was anyone’s business.

There was required testing, and so, she had excuse to go get a GED. She tried for a few more years, using the daylight walking thing as a cover, but after the fallout with her mom (when the hell of it was they had had a perfect conversation before, one of acceptance, of the connection she had always wanted with her mom—it had happened accidentally), she had an excuse to leave.

“You going to go find yourself?” Damon said, watching her pack. She didn’t know why he was, either. She had preferred Stefan as a friend, but she didn’t want to say goodbye.

“No,” Caroline quipped, taking heart that he hadn’t stepped into the room. “I’ve found myself, I just want to know myself in another place. For awhile. I’ll be back.”

Damon looked at her. “You will,” he said, confidently.

She looked up. He thought she couldn’t hack it. Well, you know what? She was already dead. So, the natural dangers of the world were a little lacking in threat.

“You could just run, you know. I did that, back in the day. You can go as fast as a car without being pulled over.”

And now he decided to exchange vampire stories, when she was halfway out the door. But Caroline wasn’t interested in what Damon could give her.

“You can’t have my car, Damon.”

He laughed, shook his head, and left her to finish. She was glad to have the moment. Caroline packed her things (books, clothes—she left some pictures, an act she’d regret along the way).

Caroline started her car. Then she went, sunglasses on, down the road.

Disbelieving every mile. She kept thinking she’d turn back herself, but she didn’t. Her heart was pumping, pounding with a fear of something normal and everyday, and she wouldn’t say further away it got easier.

It got harder.

But she kept breathing (mostly because she had nothing else to lose, anyway, and she was imm…seventeen forever with a good heart).

She didn’t look back in the rearview mirror. Late a night, she turned on the lights and caught sight of a wad of hundreds stuffed into her purse.

Caroline was about to hold the bills out the window and let them scatter to the wind. Instead, she saw a homeless guy on the street, pulled over, and made his life.

It should have been something she regretted later when she ran out of money, and yet?

She had never made a cleaner break.

***

Caroline made it down to Louisiana.

To feel illicit, to get the vibe and appearance of a wild road trip, she took some alcohol from a gas station. Didn’t like it much and felt silly pretending. She didn’t want to kill someone through throat bite, so she wouldn’t kill them through a car accident. She played music loud and tried not to think too much.

Besides, car accidents were the beginning of the end for her. Tyler had been driving.

Louisiana was different? It hadn’t occurred to her that she’d have to hunt in a swamp. Driving by the road, she looked out at the murky water and saw an alligator.

It’s-his eyes were poking out of the top of the swamp. She did not want to meet an alligator in the swamp.

Finally, she was bone dry on money and gas, and limped into a small, off road-town called Bon Temps, where there was the footnote in lipstick or marker…or something.

God hates Fangs.

Caroline felt a small shiver of fear crawl up her spine, and she ran her tongue across her teeth nervously. She needed gas, somehow.

She wondered if she should get fake fangs and then make people think she was a vamp for five seconds, and then laugh, pull them off, and tell them –it was just a joke.

That’d throw them off the trail. On the other hand, they could shoot her while she was taking off the non-real fangs. She sighed. She’d stick to keeping a low profile, and she didn’t need to pay for food.

She’d sleep in the car tonight! She could hack it. Caroline pulled off into the forest and stepped out. She could definitely still sweat.

She pulled her hair back and got into the mood, her whole self tuning into to sound and silence and listening. She found a small heartbeat out there, from what she could hear over the mosquitoes.

Caroline ran.

The ground wasn’t smooth and kept trying to bring her down to earth, but it wasn’t going to happen. She was in a zone, hunting on her own, and she could do this on her own.

Without anybody’s help.

She found the rabbit. White, fluffy tail, all rabbit traits accounted for. Caroline took a deep breath –resisting the urge to smile—and darted forward through the trees.

And darted away as if repelled by a magnet.

Another blur had gone for the rabbit, and rather like two cats running into each other after going for the same mouse, they had scattered apart, each making sounds of surprise.

Caroline hid behind a tree, getting her bearings. She peeked around the side and saw a head disappear behind a tree.

Quickly.

“Hey?” she called, and decided to take a chance. Her interactions with other vampires hadn’t been so positive, but this one seemed fang shy. She stepped out into the clearing. “Hi?”

She waved.

There was a moment of pause and then there was a blur. A redheaded one. Caroline took her in, startled.

This girl was tall and young-looking. Much taller than her. She was willowy and had shorts on. Caroline looked down and saw that she was barefoot.

Barefoot.

The girl sensed her look. She shifted her feet, resisting curling her toes into the dirt.

“I like your toenail polish,” Caroline offered quickly.

The girl looked up and smiled. She had a beautiful smile. “Thanks. It’s Cancun Fiesta.”

Caroline nodded in recognition. There was another pause as they looked at each, curious and trying not to be.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t know the vampire etiquette for this situation,” the girl said finally.

“Oh, me neither,” Caroline said. “I’m pretty new at this.”

“How new?”

“Um, four years,” she said, squinting in thought.

“You’ve got some years on me,” the girl said, looking down again.

“There’s still a lot I don’t know,” Caroline pushed. She’d usually not admit that, but she had a feeling that she wanted to. “What’s your name?”

“Jessica. Jessica Hamby,” she said, tilting her head.

“Caroline Forbes,” she said, holding out her hand, and Jessica took it, looking a little surprised by the firm gesture.

“You’re not from around here. It’s the accent.”

“I am new here,” Caroline said. “Just got here from Mystic Falls.”

“Is your maker with you?” Jessica asked.

“No. Just no,” Caroline said.

“Ohhhh, I know what that’s like. I have the worst maker in the world.”

“We’ll have to compare notes,” Caroline said, a burst of her old competitive spirit turning up. “Because—I think mine sucks too.”

They looked at each other and laughed.

“Okay, so they both suck,” Caroline said, smiling. “How about that rabbit?”

“It’s actually a rabbit for someone else. A shape-shifter. I live on human blood.”

“Like in that new drink, which tastes like coolant. Not that I’d know what that'd taste like.”

“Coolant, that’s the best one I’ve heard yet.”

“So, that’s a no,” Caroline said. “Then you’re like, drinking blood from the bag.”

“If by bag, you mean human. I don’t like to call them blood bags though.”

Caroline was taken aback by that, thinking this girl had seemed sweet but wanted to cover, being in the middle of the woods and all. “Oh, that’s okay, if that’s what you like. Really!”

Jessica took in her expression, and Caroline could tell she was tempted to go shy again—but she didn’t look away.

“I don’t kill ‘em. I just kinda sample, and my boyfriend is one—a human, not that word, um, from before. He doesn’t mind, he actually---he doesn’t mind,” Jessica finished quickly.

Caroline looked at her, struck that someone would let that happen to them and accept it. She thought Elena had been kind of the odd girl out, and Stefan didn’t even do that. She guessed.

“You’re lucky,” she said.

The tension passed as Jessica smiled.

“So, you need the rabbit,” Jessica offered, “more than me. I’m good at finding them around here.”

“I could use the help.”

Jessica, though younger, was faster than her. The blood thing. Still, Jessica had two rabbits like she had pulled them out of the hat.

“One for me,” Jessica said, and handed her the other one.

Caroline took it and they looked at each other again. Laughed.

“And one for me,” Carooline said. “I never thought I’d be in the woods in Louisiana hunting rabbits,” she said in an Elmer Fudd accent. Jessica cracked up again.

“Wow, that’s a really good accent. And since we’re talking about accents, why…did you come to this town?”

“Ran out of gas.”

Jessica shook her head. “You gonna stay for the night? Dawn is coming soon.”

Oh. Right.

“I guess I have to,” Caroline said. “Don’t want to be fried to a crisp.”

“You have a place to sleep?” Jessica asked, beginning to walk, and Caroline walked besides her.

Caroline rubbed her forehead.

“I really—didn’t plan this well. This so isn’t me. I was student council vice president and head of the prom committee, so I always had to multitask..”

Jessica was looking at her. Maybe she thought Caroline was super bitch now because of the prom committee thing. Oh great. “I don’t know much about that. I was homeschooled,” she said, feeling in the blank, and Caroline relaxed. “Was it fun?”

Caroline paused. “I think it was. I’m not sure now,” she said.

Jessica looked at her knowingly, blue eyes calm, and then turned towards the road.

“Whoa. Is that your car?” Then she zoomed over to look in the window.

“Yeah, this is my completely out of gas car,” she said.

“That’s no problem, I can go get you a fuel can. Wait right here,” Jessica said, friendly as ever, and was gone before Caroline could say it took premium fuel.

No biggie. She guessed.

Back the blur came, and Caroline was grateful. Jessica opened the door of the car.

“No dead bunnies on the seat, please.”

“I brought a bag,” Jessica teased. Now that was planning. “Do you wanna, um, stay at my place then? I have roomy space under the floorboards and a couple of cabinets.”

Was Caroline really going to go through with this? She could just continue on her way—except she didn’t have anywhere to go really and she liked Jessica.

It’d be rare to meet another vampire that didn’t have an agenda or just want to kill you even more.

And she was being nice, and it’d just been awhile since things actually felt normal with another girl.

“If you don’t mind, I’m all for spacious cabinetry.”

“Great! I didn’t use too much Pine-Sol when I cleaned, I promise.”

Caroline got into the car with Jessica hopping in besides her. She guessed Damon did have a point about vampires mostly running around, maybe.

The jerk.

***

“You use a glass?”

Caroline nodded. It had been a messy business, but she didn’t want to confess she just didn’t want to get anything dirty around the house she was in now. It seemed more than a little rude.

“I’ll …do the dishes, this time,” she said.

Jessica shrugged, leaning against the door, her face kind. “Do you have any special tricks?”

“As in?”

“Vampire tricks,” Jessica said, a little mischievously.

“I’m pretty strong? I don’t know, nothing special yet, except the fangs which can be pretty inappropriate.”

“Ohhh, don’t I know it. I filed them, once or twice, but they’re pretty determined to stick in there.”

“You filed your fangs?” Caroline thought about that concept for a moment.

“Eh, I just thought it was for myself, but maybe it waw for the people I care about too.”

Caroline could understand that.

“What kind of filer?” she asked, not thinking that’d work.

“The metal kind that leaves tooth dust everywhere,” Jessica answered, “Emery boards don’t work. They get pretty soggy too.”

“Huh,” she said. She wanted to connect frantically since this was the first time this kind of conversation had happened with her.

“Do you have any special vampire tricks?”

“I’m great at glamouring someone.”

“Glamour?"

“Making them do stuff. I can get more than one person, and even the old vampires can’t do that.”

“Compulsion, that’s the word I’ve heard for it.”

Jessica picked up on something. “What, you haven’t compelled someone?”

“Not for drinking. For singing, not drinking,” to make any hesitation pass by.

“Well, you’re honest about it,” Jessica said. “Come and sit. The couch is comfy.”

Somehow, Jessica had become the driver in this situation. Caroline followed her, sitting on the couch with a little too much pep. They talked a bit more about where Caroline was from, and how Jessica had grown up here.

And then.

“How’d it happen for you?”

Jessica’s eyes widened as if she hadn’t meant to ask the question, but it seemed as if the subject was what both of them were wondering about each other.

“It was really--.”

Caroline took a deep breath, sitting on the couch with her. “I was in a car accident, and my friend guilt tripped this vampire—“

Jessica stared at her.

“Look, um. The reason I don’t like compulsion for the drinking part is that I was the blood bag, tasty treat for this vampire in town. For weeks, and I’d wake up—he’d let me so I’d know just for a minute, knowing that I was about to be trapped again and there was nothing I could do.”

Jessica didn’t look at her with pity. She was listening hard, looking into her eyes, and Caroline actually wanted someone who wanted to hear all this ugliness. Even Stefan wanted to sweep it all under the rug because it was Damon, his big brother. She didn’t want to tell Tyler that part.

She spilled everything: Elena’s boy troubles making the town a vampire haunt, and how she was made as a way to ease any trouble about Elena.

“And then this other vampire came in and killed me while I slept so I could be used in a sacrifice later. Born dead to die.”

Jessica shook her head, looking angry. “Those fuckers.”

Caroline looked over quickly, some wall in her breaking a little. “Yeah. So.”

She didn’t want to ask because she felt selfish somehow, but the girl seemed both to know and not mind.

Jessica bit her lip. “I don’t know about sacrifice, but I was made as a punishment for my maker since he wanted to save the girl he really loved. She’s nice, I don’t want you to think otherwise. But I didn’t have any part in that decision either. Then my maker, Bill’s all ‘you’re a monster spawn now just like me, and we are in hell.’. My bad’.”

“He seriously said you were damned?” she asked, her eyes wide. Caroline had had better with Stefan there.

“He kinda gave the overall impression. Bill has a thing about being a vampire. I guess we all do, but he kinda likes to be alone with that except for the blood is bad thing. Do you think that too?”

“I—don’t think I’m a bad person, cause I still feel like me.” Jessica nodded in agreement, relieved that Caroline felt the same. “I don’t feel bad vampire Actually, I guess I’d win good vampire points for this, but my first night out—I did something to someone.”

Jessica’s eyes widened, and Caroline braced herself.

“I did something to someone too.”

Caroline looked at her for a long moment, and through all this talk, she had never felt this before—this kind of closure. Because usually she didn’t like to go to near to her reality unless it was on someone else, but this was with someone else. And the experience wasn’t bad! Not ‘good’ but it just was.

Jessica smiled sadly.

“It was ‘cause I didn’t know how to control myself, tried to keep that part away, that’s why it got all frigg’d up.”

“Control isn’t bad,” Caroline said naturally, as she was Caroline.

“I don’t know much about being a vampire yet, but I know that control isn’t pushing something away. You know, now that I’ve been drinkin’ …responsibly, I have more control. It won’t sneak up on me.”

“You think my hunger’s going to sneak up on me because I’m…repressed or something?”

“I wasn’t going to say it like that.”

“Why do people always say they weren’t going to say it like that?” Caroline moaned.

“’Cause you have a way of saying things yourself,” Jessica commented playfully. “I like that.”

“Well,” Caroline said, oddly embarrassed. She looked down and saw that their knees were touching.

“I know!” Jessica said, and jumped up, startling Caroline. “How ‘bout I take you to a place where there’s no compulsion, that humans are askin’ to be bitten—and payin’ for it?”

“Er, that sounds like a sex club with whips and chain.”

“Close! It’s to find someone to have sex with you, and maybe, elsewhere, I dunno. I think all the chains are in the basement,” she paused.

“That’s always where the chains are.”

Jessica grinned. “It’s called Fangtasia. Yeah, I know. But trust me. No compulsion necessary.”

Caroline thought about it. She didn’t know what she was walking into and she could say she was stuffed on rabbit, but she did trust Jessica. Enough to be able to go and then deal with it if things got weird. (er, weirder).

“And if I can’t stop? What then, dead guy on the floor right in front of all these people?”

“I could stop ya, and there are a lot of other vampires around,” Jessica offered. “But I know how to control it.” At this, Jessica looked proud to be able to pass along the information. “You listen to the heartbeat in the blood, and when it gets too slow, you stop by thinking of disgusting things.”

“I don’t know if there’s anything that disgusting to…oh right, got one,” Caroline said, thinking of Damon. “That doesn’t sound too hard.”

“You get the hang of it real fast. Come on, it’s open right now!”

Caroline took a deep breath, thinking of her clean break and some truth in Jessica’s words. She did need to see if she could control it.

“All right, let’s go!”

Jessica held up her hand. “Not so fast. You can’t go wearing that for your first time,” she teased.

Caroline gave her a look. “What’s wrong with this? It’s fashion chic.”

Jessica raised an eyebrow.

“Then that’s what’s wrong with it. This is all I’ve got. So, can I…”

Jessica beamed at her, and took her hand, pulling her up the stairs at hyper speed.

Caroline couldn’t help but beam and hold the girl’s hand even tighter.

She made it upstairs to discover that Jessica had excellent taste in tops for nightlife. And makeup. And jewelry. Caroline had also brought some items herself.

Jessica handed her some great tanner, and when Caroline took out her moisturizer, she remembered she shouldn’t get too comfortable, that she realized but she didn’t want to realize about her eternally young face and how silly it truly was to...

“Can I have some?” Jessica asked.

Caroline nodded, hiding her relief by putting on her eye make-up.

As Jessica had said, it was her first time, and a girl should look good for the occasion.

***

This place was a sex club.

Caroline was a little nervous. A lot nervous. It looked so seedy, and there were so many people here, vampire and people who liked to be bitten of all things-not like her, no, on both counts—and her stomach was in a knot.

“You don’t have to go in,” Jessica said, and Caroline hadn’t known the girl was being that observant. “I guess I did rush you a little, when you just got here and all.”

“No, it’s just new, and since I’m all dressed up, I can go in and see what’s going on? Then we’ll see, as long as you’re near me.”

Jessica held up her pinky, and it was second nature to Caroline to do a pinky swear. Something so simple and old, but it was important too, in the gesture.

They waited in line, and Caroline tried to stare straight ahead, all casual like she did this all the time.

This blonde woman stepped in front of her, wearing this anatomically impossible corset. “New blood.”

Oh-kay.

“Hi!” Jessica said brightly. “She’s with me.”

“You’ll fill your new friend out on all the rules,” this woman said, without ever taking her eyes off Caroline. The look was almost appreciative. “If you forget one, feel free to send her over to me.”

“I’ll remember, Pam.”

“So will I.”

She was off to a good start, but Caroline couldn’t even be mad. She was more amused at this point.

“I think I got a seal of approval,” Caroline said. Jessica looked awed, and Caroline was oddly proud. “So, what next?”

“Well, we shop around and you see who you think looks like a good guy…or girl, whichever.”

“Do you have, like, a preference?”

“It varies,” Jessica said. “Depends.” They parked themselves at the bar and stared around.

“What about that guy?” Jessica asked. Caroline squinted.

“He looks like he’s filled to the brim with alcohol. Is that drinking responsibly?”

“You got a point,” Jessica said. “Her?”

“Too plastic. I’ll get something caught in my teeth.”

“Good taste.” Jessica nudged her arm, and it began to turn into a game. Finally—

“How about the tall one?”

“He’s all mysterious and broody,” Caroline said. “Like Edward….Some guy I used to know.”

He did kind of remind her of someone, and she felt her bloodlust begin, a little tickle in the back of her throat.

“I know that look. You want him.”

Caroline flushed (still could do that too), but Jessica’s eyes were getting this hungry gleam too.

“And I’m open to sharing.”

“Two vamps is the maximum,” Jessica said. “As long as we go slow, let him get on his feet again.”

Caroline nodded, unsure. “It won’t hurt him, right?”

“He’s good with that, and it puts them to sleep a little. No harm…”

She took a breath and began, moving forward, wondering if she should be seductive or not.

“Hi,” she said, and he looked up, his eyes just covered with eye liner. He didn’t answer her, and that bloodlust spiked. “I’m a vampire.”

Now he looked interested. “Oh yeah? Your teeth sharp?”

“As pointy needles.”

He didn’t look so thrilled, despite the promise of pain.

“Her lips are sharper though.”

What a save. Caroline was gaining in confidence, and she sat down slowly besides him. “Now, what should we do with him?”

Jessica cornered him on the other side. “At once, or separately.”

“How about both?” Mr. Smug asked, his breathing heavy. “Both things. I can take it.”

"Then come with us," Jessica ordered. "We can't bite officially on the premise. But I know a place right at the edge."

The man was quick to follow. Caroline liked the little clearing in the trees: it was kind of romantic in a way, like a scene from a movie.

“Tell you what," she told the mystery man who was waiting with baited breath in the woods, as if he was spellbound. He wanted this from them. "I’ll watch, and if you perform well, you’ll get a reward.”

Jessica’s eyes were so full of emotion now that Caroline was looking more at her than her intended victim. She licked her lips and said, “Now, would be...really blue…good, or…”

Jessica’s fangs popped out and she went for it. This was a good exercise in control, and Caroline was paying close attention, counting mentally how long she stayed there against his neck.

She came back, her lips bright red, and Caroline’s whole being felt swallowed up in this moment. It was surreal and shouldn’t be happening and was.

“Your turn.”

Caroline hoped. She put all her control there and carefully—

“There,” Jessica said, guiding her mouth by touching her chin with her fingers. “Right there.”

Caroline bit, sinking her teeth into this man who had too much aftershave on, but that soon faded. She initially wanted to just go for it, all the way, dive and never—

There was this drumming sound like rain on windows, only more steady—crashing waves, by the beach in the sun, soothing—thrumming in her ears and her heart.

He was fucking delicious, and her world was red as heaven would be.

She felt a hand on her arm, a tap of a finger steadily counting, and Caroline realized it was Jessica.

She slowed down and counted, waiting as the waves receded from her toes, in the sun actually burning and loving it. She felt content. Peaceful. Home.

Is where the heart is.

Then, at that mental line in the sand, she pulled back, removing her fangs.

She looked immediately at Jessica.

“You’re good,” Jessica said. “You’re a real natural, Caroline.”

Caroline couldn’t look away. “Yeah, I guess. I guess I am.”

Jessica darted out a hand and touched her lips. “You got a little…”

All Caroline knew why watching Jessica lick her finger was that she had found a place to stay for awhile.

***

Caroline slept under floorboards and in cabinetry because she didn’t really think about it.

Actually. She was in the moment. She laid near Jessica, close, thinking of old times and old friendships, and even now this was deeper. With her old friends, she was always aware that Bonnie liked Elena more, and Elena liked Bonnie more, and that was that.

This time it wasn’t the case, and it wasn’t just because there wasn’t a third party involved. There are certain things you can’t share without becoming bonded, changed, in a way. She had that once with Tyler, and now, this—having a fellow vampire on the same level at her, but even more so, so close to her—

And there was even something more she couldn’t name when she put her arm around Jessica’s waist. When she’d watch her red hair catch in moonlight when they played—yes, played tag, since she was so much faster. Play fight sometimes too—she didn’t know who was winning, since there was no set score. They often just lost track of time and had to rush home to dawn.

They’d prank a few people by moving so fast. One time, they switched places on a guy when he turned around to order a drink and then acted confused when he turned pale. Of course it wasn’t at the vamp bar, and the place wasn’t strictly anti-vampire.

They were careful.

Caroline was happy too. They’d watch a movie near dawn, and for a joke, it was an old vampire movie here and there, and Caroline talked Jessica into watching The Notebook—which she loved.

It worked out well. Caroline was more of a neat freak than her vamp-mate, so she cleaned up and felt like she was contributing.

Until she didn’t.

“I feel like a bloodsucker.”

“Good?” Jessica questioned, laying on her back studying her. She was winding a strand of red hair in her hands. Caroline had a train of thought there, but Jessica took a strand of Caroline’s hair, running her hands through it, and compared it to her own.

Lost that one.

“No, like a big fat leech,” Caroline complained. “I’m broke. And I feel bad, you know, that you work at night.”

“Miss me?” Jessica asked.

“Yeah,” she blurted out. “But I’m sure you don’t miss a mooch.”

“Do ya use the term mooch a lot where you’re from?” Jessica asked. “And this is a vampire house. Not like I’m going to charge you rent.”

“No, that was specifically limited to me. The moocher. I know it shouldn’t matter but it does to me. I care, and I like…want to buy you make up, or rent you a movie. That kind of thing.”

“It’s not easy to get a job without people knowing you. They’re nosy,” Jessica said, rolling her eyes. “Course, they kinda know you’re here.”

And she thought Mystic Falls was claustrophobic.

“Do they know I’m a vampire?”

“It’s assumed first now, around here. Buuuttt…there is a chance I could get Sam to hire you.”

“Doing what? And I should have asked before.”

“Nah, we’ve been busy. I’m a waitress at Merlotte’s ,” Jessica said. “I leave my uniform there, sooo. You can’t see what it looks like. I’ll see what I can do.”

Caroline nodded, having no intention of –well, she just didn’t think she was ready for a job now.

Naturally, tomorrow night had Jessica with a uniform.

“We’re losing a lot of people, so he didn’t have a leg to stand on. I wore him down. You start tomorrow night with me.”

Caroline remembered putting her foot in her mouth before with Matt, saying that she was unimpressed by…certain jobs. God, she hadn’t thought about jobs since she had been turned. Now, here it was, on the same side, a job.

That Jessica had money from and was happy and content with (something Caroline really had done before concerning work, period), and had put in a good word for her.

“Great,” Caroline said, taking the uniform.

Jessica squinted. “I know it might be a little small…” She put her hands into the pockets of her jeans.

“No, it’s great. Perfect,” Caroline reaffirmed, because—they had connected so, so well on the vampire part—that she wanted to connect on all levels. She didn’t want to lose her friend over something so…

Small that now seemed more important and dangerous.

“I’ll teach you how to get the best tips, the insider secrets,” Jessica said, excited and sincere.

And out of all the things, that part?

That part was kind of great.

***

Caroline was on fire.

Not literally, metaphorically. She didn’t know if it was the idea of making the other red head that worked there besides Jessica pissed off—it could have been. But she was in a war for tips.

She met the customers at the door and had them like putty in her hands.

Blood would be spilled for tips.

Not literally.

“It’s just because you’re new,” the redhead said. “I was the same way. Then the sheen wears off, and that new accent and bright smile becomes irritating—sooner to some people than others? That’s when you’ll have to earn those tips.”

“How long does something new come here again?” Caroline asked, thoughtfully, and Jessica covered her mouth with her hands.

Arlene looked at them both, her lips pursed, before she waltzed away with a tray in her hand.

“I’m going to reorganize all the schedules here, and then, maybe redecorate.”

“You’ll be fighting Sam for manager soon.”

“She’s right, strategically speaking. I’ll lose tips when they get used to me.”

“You’ll hold out longer than me.”

“You’re kidding. You’ll always be a favorite here, it’s the smile with the eyes.”

“You’ve got a nice smile too, you know. You’re…you’re a contender, right?”

Caroline turned to tease her. Didn’t feel so teasing. Jessica studied her, looking thoughtful.

“What is it you wanted to do?” she asked suddenly. “I never gave it much thought until it wasn’t an option. That’s always the way.”

Then she bit her lip.

“I’m sorry, that was probably a bad question-.”

“No,” Caroline said, swallowing hard. “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think about it. I was planning to be a news reporter. Something along those lines. You?”

“A vet,” she said. “A little ironic.”

“Hey, you feed on things other than animals with fur,” Caroline said, choosing her words wisely.

“Maybe you still can be what you wanted. Vamp network is up and coming, huh?”

Caroline felt a small hope in her heart. She didn’t even know if she still wanted that dream. Just that someone wanted her to have it, that…

“Maybe you can work with animals, someday.”

“Doubtful, considerin’.”

“You never know what might happen in the future. We do have a long time to go.”

“Yeah,” Jessica said, as if she was just realizing something. “Yeah, we do, don’t we?”

They did.

***

They grew closer.

There were secrets whispered, stories about parents and other kids, and they asked each other random questions—not always lighthearted ones.

Caroline should have known better.

“What do you miss most about before?”

Should have known better but had forgotten how she had almost lost it herself.

“The sun,” Jessica said, simply. “Like everyone does.”

And that started it. Caroline turned into a nervous wreck overnight. She knew what Stefan would say. She heard his voice in her head. Not to share the information with another vampire: he only told vampires that already walked in the sun.

She thought about Tyler, about how lying to protect certain things—never was good. No matter how much it hurt.

“Jeez, I slept in. Why didn’t you wake me?”

“We need—I need to tell you something.”

Jessica looked up. “It wouldn’t be that we’re late for work, or am I hoping for too much?”

Caroline looked pain. “It’s just something that slipped my mind because I got lost in the friendship part. I’ve enjoyed being here more than I expected to enjoy being anywhere again.”

Jessica’s eyes brightened despite her wariness. She didn’t look as if she knew what to say.

“I’m glad you’re here too, Caroline,” she finally began. “It was really lonely being the only young vampire. But before, I didn’t have many friends to begin with, not really. I was lonely before, just in a different life.”

“Me too,” Caroline said. “I’d want to be with so many people but now I just want certain people—or person. It’s complicated.”

“No, it’s not,” Jessica said. “Not if I understand it. And I do.”

“I can—there are witches out there too.”

“I’ve heard, yeah.”

“And they can make vampires walk in the sun.”

Jessica’s smile faded. “I heard that there was a curse going on about that but with fairy blood--.”

“Fair-okay, um.”

“Don’t get your hopes up—every now and then, a vampire will try to get every other vampire to survive in the sun. But it never happened, Caroline, I’m sorry to-.”

“I can walk in the sun,” Caroline said.

There was a long stretch of silence.

“And you forgot about that,” Jessica said slowly.

Caroline nodded, not sure she could speak right now.

“How?” Jessica breathed out.

“Are you mad?” Caroline asked instead. Jessica stared at her.

“I’ve got to go, I’m late for the only job that’ll take me at night.”

And she was gone.

Caroline closed her eyes.

***

She knew she would be thrown out, so she began to pack up again.

So far, she was really batting zero. All around.

“Hey, um.”

She turned around, hating that Jessica still managed to sneak up on her somehow. She crossed her arms.

“You’re not going to blame me for making you come home early to see if I was stealing stuff?”

Jessica raised both eyebrows. “Over the top.”

Caroline held her ground. “Maybe. But still.”

“I don’t blame you for anything,” Jessica said. “It’s not your fault that you can walk in the sun and I can’t. I was a brat. Sorry.”

Caroline sighed. “If I had told you sooner, it wouldn’t be such a shock.”

Jessica said, “I don’t know when you’d bring that up except to rub my face in it. Not that you did.”

She was amazed. “You’re not mad now.”

“I’m mad but at everything. Not you, not really.”

Caroline took a deep breath. “Well, before you left for work, I was planning on...here, it's my ring that lets me walk in the sun,” Caroline said, slipping off her ring. “You can try it on, take it for a spin. I don’t know if it’s spelled specifically to me or not, but worth a try.”

“You sure? It’s not, I mean, it is important but not like that.”

“I’m sure,” Caroline said. “Just don’t let it slip off your finger. Seriously.”

Just as Caroline was going to bed, she saw Jessica standing at the doorway. She held her breath, hoping…

And then Jessica held her hand out...and then stepped out into the light.

She heard what sounded like crying, and then though she saw Jessica wave, and then she heard the fading footsteps on the grass.

Caroline went back to sleep, content and for once, pretty fulfilled.

***

Jessica was back in the night, jumping in on top of her.

Elated. Alive.

Her hair was blown this way and that, and her eyes were red, her cheeks were red from tears.

“You trusted me,” Jessica said, “You trusted me not to screw up or lose it or...or anything!”

It hadn’t occurred to Caroline not to trust Jessica.

But to be fair, it hadn’t occurred to Jessica to not trust Caroline’s words about a magical ring.

It was fair.

So, they embraced, and there was something so intimate about it that she didn’t mind laying there, and Jessica didn’t mind being late for work. She had no idea why Jessica’s fangs were out, but she didn’t mind that either.

Caroline already had plans: to try and convince Bonnie to get Jessica her own ring. It’d be a long shot, knowing Bonnie, but…

For now, she wouldn’t share this with anyone else.


End file.
